Commitment and Leadership

There are seven parts to this series on leadership. We've looked at "Calling" and "Cost." What about the Commitment of Leadership? Any leader, Christian or otherwise, will only be successful if he/she is willing to take on responsibility and carry out the tasks of that leadership position to their conclusion. 

Very often the lack of leadership in a church or community results from the fact that potential leaders did not count the cost, made a grudging or uniformed commitment – then backed out. When the going gets tough; the uncommitted get going. They either simply don’t show up; don’t do the job; or sometimes, leave the fellowship altogether.  We’ll look at this quickly, but please note that this idea of commitment to Christian leadership is neither like the models you’ll find in the leadership books at Barnes & Noble; nor is even focused on the leader himself or herself. Christian leadership is focused on God.

Commitment is, in part, about truth telling. Jesus said, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37). James reiterated this when he wrote, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.” (James 5:12). If we tell someone – especially God – that we’re going to do something, we need to carry it out if it is at all possible. Yes, I recognize that sometimes it isn’t possible. But consider these verses: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Colossians 3:23.

    

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men… We need to remember who it is we’re serving when we serve the church. It’s God. We are to offer up our work; our leadership; as an offering to God. Was He half-hearted when He went to the cross on our behalf?

Romans 12:1 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Can we do this part-time? Can we offer ourselves up as a grudging offering?"

If you're going to take on a leadership role in the church, count the cost. The you either in or you're out.

The Costs of Leadership

In our last installment on Christian Leadership (April 9) we looked at Calling. Today we move on to Cost. What exactly is the cost of leadership?

In Luke 14:28, this question is asked, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"
Answering that question will not get us out of our leadership role in the church, but we do need to be aware of the costs of leadership. We ought to recognize that they are there, and be prepared for them. I guess it's sort of like budgeting. We need to be prepared to pay the price for whatever active role we take in people’s lives.
In Acts 13:1-3 we read of the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul. That’s the easy part. The work begins at verse 4, when they set out on their first missionary journey together. For the next two years Barnabas and Saul traveled (as we read in the next two chapters of the Book of Acts) from Antioch to Seleucia to Salmis & Paphos (on Cyprus); then to Perga, Psidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, then back to Lystra, Iconium, Psidian Antioch, Perga and on to Attalia and eventually returning to Antioch in Syria.

They traveled over 1,000 miles, averaging, ­on good days, ­16 miles. This
was over rough terrain; crossing the Mediterranean Sea several times in small, leaky
boats. They had no furlough; no email; no phone.

Along the way they faced:

* Opposition from a sorcerer (13:8)
* Abuse and persecution (14:45, 50)
* Threats to their physical well-being (14:5)
* Stoning (14:19, 20)

And this was only the first two years ­ of the first missionary journey! You will
not likely face many of these problems as leaders in the church, but you
may face some. You may face some other, equally threatening, problems. If you stand up for God’s Word, you will be tested. You will be disrespected. You will have people say things about you which simply are not true. These things I can guarantee.
 
Taking seriously the call on our lives to be leaders; to develop the gifts God has given us is a sacrifice. 1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” Being a leader is about love. Now look at this, back in 1 Peter 4:12-16.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Not exactly what you'd see on most job postings, is it? "Come join our team, we guarantee that you'll be reviled, and experience suffering and loss." But, that is the reality. The world (including many in the church) does not cherish God or His Word. If you are going to stand up for it, be ready for the backlash. 

BUT, praise God that we are deemed worthy, because of the work of Christ, to share with Him the sacrifice!